THE MONKEY TRIAL

The monkey trial

A historic event becomes a memorable film

Courtroom dramas have always fascinated me. I am an avid reader of John Grisham's novels, and I used to watch the TV series, `The Practice' without fail. Films based on true or imaginary court cases have been among my favourites right from my college days.

Films based on plays have a certain dramatic quality that grips the viewer. Agatha Christie's `Witness for the Prosecution' and the World War II drama, `Judgement at Nuremberg' come to mind. But perhaps the film that is my favourite trial drama is `Inherit the Wind'. This was produced and directed by Stanley Kramer.

Big names in a little town

The film was based on a true incident that happened in 1925 in a southern town, Dayton, Ohio. A schoolteacher was arrested and tried because he had taught Darwin's theory of evolution to his students. This was a serious crime in the eyes of the southern fundamentalists. The trial took on a great deal of importance because some very big names in the US descended on the town to participate in it. William Jennings Bryan, a two-time Presidential candidate wished to make use of this situation for his next Presidential campaign. He agreed to be the prosecutor.

On hearing this, Clarence Darrow, a legendary trial lawyer, offered to appear for the defence. H.L.Mencken, an iconoclastic journalist known all over the US, came to Dayton to cover the trial for his paper. These VIPs in turn attracted a lot of admirers and followers, and soon the trial of the schoolteacher, Scopes, became a national event. The newspapers dubbed it as `The Monkey Trial', and the name stuck.

Stanley Kramer's film, `Inherit the Wind' (1960), was based on a play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E.Lee. The screen adaptation, the slick direction and the brilliant performances of some extraordinary actors makes this film a delight to watch. When I first saw it I was so taken up with it that I kept going again and again to the theatre where it was being shown. The film uses fictitious names for all the main characters and the town and adds a few imaginary additions to the actual story. The local priest's daughter is in love with Scopes, and the priest curses her for it. And then Bryan quotes the Bible to pull up the priest. "He who curses his children shall inherit the wind", which gives the title to the film.

Several brilliant actors played the main roles in engagingly contrasting styles. Spencer Tracy as Clarence Darrow is quiet and dignified coming out with pithy comments when necessary. Frederic March plays William Jennings Bryan with flamboyant mannerisms and fluctuating emotional peaks and depths. The acid tongued H.L.Mencken is played by Gene Kelly who usually appears in musicals, being a terrific tap dancer and a choreographer.

When Tracy (Darrow) arrives at the small town, Kelly (Mencken) is there to receive him at the station. "Hello Devil, welcome to hell" he says. Darrow and Bryan pit their wits against each other in a thrilling duel of intellect and legal expertise. Darrow puts Bryan on the witness stand and there is a theological debate that adds to the dramatic content. Bryan mocks Darwin's theory complaining that it had man descend "Not even from American monkeys, but Old World monkeys". The judge permits the lawyers and others to remove their jackets and loosen their ties as the heat is almost unbearable. Small cardboard hand fans are distributed to everyone in the court.

Finally the trial is shifted to the Tennessee Supreme Court. A few days later Bryan dies of a heart attack. Darrow goes to Bryan's quarters to pay his last respects. Mencken is also there. And when he sees Darrow, he makes a flippant comment about Bryan's death. Darrow looks at him steadily and says, "One doesn't have to believe in God, but one must have faith in something. One who doesn't have faith in anything is just a slob. You are a slob". And then he walks off as Mencken wears a bewildered look on his face. The film ends on this note. `Inherit the Wind' is a tour de force of acting and direction touches, which makes a lasting impact on the viewer.

J.VASANTHAN

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu